The first National Theatre offering of the autumn season at the Merlin is a screening of ‘The Beaux Stratagem’, George Farquhar’s glorious late Restoration comedy of money, love and deceit.
The ‘Beaux’: Mr Aimwell and Mr Archer, two charming, dissolute young men who have blown their fortunes in giddy London. Shamed and debt-ridden, they flee to provincial Lichfield. Their ‘Stratagem’: to marry for money.
Lodged at the local inn, posing as master and servant, they encounter a teeming variety of human obstacles: a crooked landlord, a fearsome highwayman, a fervent French Count, a maid on the make, a drunken husband, a furious butler, a natural healer and a strange, turbulent priest.
But their greatest obstacle is love. When the Beaux meet their match in Dorinda and Mrs Sullen they are most at risk, for in love they might be truly discovered. This promises to be English social comedy at its best.
The production is at 7.00pm on Thursday 3rd September and has a running time of 180 minutes.
Contact www.merlin theatre.co.uk or 01373 465949 to book. A pre-show supper, served 45 minutes before the performance, is also available at £7 for main course and £3 for pudding. To book supper, please contact Keren Hayden at kerenhayden@gmail.com or 07968 753632
